Emotions are High

The general surgeon tells Clark and I that the biopsy was actually a lumpectomy. He asked me to consider a mastectomy, but I instantly reacted to no. It was so small, caught so early. He told me to find an oncologist. She gave me good news, that it was estrogen positive, and Tamoxiphen was prescribed to block the estrogen my body produces. No food, no cancer !
But, she wanted a lymphectomy done. This is where Clark and I had our fight....
Clark felt that I should not have it done, he was fearful and had encountered other women, who suffered from lymphdema. I on the other hand felt I should listen to the doctors. Both Dr. T and Dr. L felt I should make sure it had not spread to the lymph nodes. My father died of colon cancer, and the suffering he went through was unbearable for him. He was not a big man, but when he died, he weighed 68 lbs., was in a veterans hospital, in a fetal position, with bed sores. I was 9 when he was diagnosed, and watched him cry when he lost his hair, and heard him scream in pain. I remember so many anguished moments. Anyway, I think that is why I was so strong in the fight, that I would have the operation. I did talk to Dr. L and told her I wanted them to only remove the sentinal lymph node, if they could locate it. But, Dr. T (the surgeon) removed 14 lymph nodes. That shocked me he took so many, but the good news, all were negative for cancer. I remember Clark fighting with me, not to have it done. At one point, he said "If you go forward with that operation, I will not go with you". I felt as if he had physically slapped me. I was shocked, but did not back down. I cried and then he cried. He did come with me and was with me all the way. That says a lot, for two people in total disagreement, to be there for each other in the end.....